Well, the Mariners director of amateur scouting was there to watch some other guys, too.

Seattle drafted two of Hultzen’s University of Virginia teammates — John Hicks, a catcher selected in the fourth round, and third baseman Steven Proscia, a seventh-round choice — on Day 2 of the MLB draft, highlighting the 30 players they added during an eight-hour pickfest that spanned rounds 2-30.

“Obviously, I was at the University of Virginia a lot this year, so I got a chance to see them play a lot,” McNamara said. “I’ve seen our seventh-round pick since high school. I’ve see our first pick since high school, so I know those kids. I’m familiar with them, the catcher, obviously I saw Dan make four starts this year on four Friday nights. Obviously, I got a good look at his catcher. He’s pretty good. Sometimes it just works out that way. All of our scouts like all three of the players.”

It’s a similar situation to the 2009 draft, in which the Mariners took North Carolina second baseman Dustin Ackley No. 2 overall before drafting two of his Tar Heels teammates.

Sticking with their ACC theme, the Mariners used their second-round pick (No. 62 overall) this year to take Clemson shortstop Brad Miller, the ACC Player of the Year. He hit .395 this year with 50 RBI, and you can read more about him by clicking the link.

McNamara didn’t sound positive that Miller would be a shortstop in the Mariners’ system, but said he doesn’t see why that couldn’t be the case.

“He played a good shortstop when I saw him,” McNamara said. “He can run, he’s a good looking kid and we’re glad we have him.”

In total on Tuesday, the Mariners drafted 14 pitchers (12 right-handed and two left-handed), five catchers, six infielders (one first baseman, two second basemen, one third basemen and two shortstops) and five outfielders. Twenty-one of those players are college guys, the other nine drafted out of high school.

There are some interesting stories among them, such as that of shortstop Cavan Cohoes, an 18-year-old high-schooler who grew up on a military base in Baden Wuerttembery, Germany; or Richard White, an 18-year-old right-hander from the Virgin Islands who has yet to obtain his GED. He’ll have to do so before the Mariners can sign him, but McNamara says it’s a common situation and he’s not concerned about losing him.

“He’s eligible for the draft,” McNamara said. “He just needs to finish up his school.”

The most intriguing power-hitter drafted by the Mariners on Tuesday is likely Kevin Cron, a third-round pick out of Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix. He hit .560 (61-for-109) with 27 home runs and 65 RBI as a senior this season, and McNamara raved about the distance of Cron’s homers.

As for the one in-state prospect the Mariners took on Tuesday, right-hander Keone Kela of Chief Sealth High School, McNamara said he saw him pitch at the Mariners’ pre-draft workout last week.

McNamara anticipated a question about the number of catchers they selected — five total — and said that doesn’t necessarily mean the Mariners are trying to stockpile them.

“Sometimes guys will be listed as a catcher, but he’ll play first base,” McNamara said. “We take players that might be playing a position in high school and they’ll ed up playing somewhere else. You want to develop them a their natural position.”